Around the Big Ten – September 18
The Big Ten announced this week’s weekly award winners.
Field Hockey awards winners were announced Photo: Northwestern/Big Ten
More on this week’s edition of “Big Ten Whip Around” — start listening to SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372) on the SiriusXM app now.
Indiana, Maryland, Oregon and Minnesota Earn Weekly Football Honors
Offensive Player of the Week
Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
QB – Sr. – Oakville, Ontario – Holy Trinity
- Threw for 307 yards on 25-of-33 passing with four touchdowns and zero interceptions
- His 300 yards passing and 25 completions were the most by a Hoosier since 2022, and four touchdown passes were the most by an Indiana signal caller since 2020
- Went 9-for-9 passing on third down for 128 yards with six passes going for a first down and two for touchdowns
- Helped Indiana to its largest margin of victory over a Big Ten opponent since 2019 and its largest margin of victory in a Big Ten road game since 2001
- Last Indiana Offensive Player of the Week: Stevie Scott (Nov. 30, 2020)
Defensive Player of the Week
Dante Trader Jr. – Maryland
DB – Sr. – Delmar, Del. – McDonogh
- Led the Terps with a career-high tying 11 tackles, an interception and a pass break-up in Maryland’s 27-13 win at Virginia
- Helped Maryland’s defense hold the Cavaliers to 0 points and only 82 yards in the second half
- His interception was the fifth of his career
- Last Maryland Defensive Player of the Week: Tarheeb Still (Nov. 13, 2023)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Atticus Sappington, Oregon
K – Jr. – Portland, Ore. – Central Catholic
- Helped Oregon to a 49-14 win over Oregon State by going 2-for-2 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points
- Kicked off eight times with five touchbacks
- Made field goals of 25 and 39 yards
- Last Oregon Special Teams Players of the Week: Tez Johnson (Sept. 9, 2024)
Freshman of the Week
Kerry Brown, Minnesota
DB – Naples, Fla. – Naples
- Tallied the first two interceptions of his career in a 27-0 win against Nevada and 17 return yards, all on his second interception
- It was the first multi-interception game for a Gopher since 2023
- First Minnesota freshman since at least 1990 to have multiple interceptions in a game
- Both interceptions led directly to 10 Minnesota points
- Finished the game with four tackles and two interceptions as Minnesota limited Nevada to 172 total yards
- Last Minnesota Freshman of the Week: Zach Evans (Oct. 2, 2023)
Ohio State, Purdue, Nebraska and Washington Earn Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Awards
Player of the Week
Emily Londot, Ohio State
Gr. – OPP – Utica, Ohio – Master’s: Kinesiology
- Averaged 5.00 kills, 2.83 digs and 1.08 blocks per set last week, posting three double-doubles and leading the Buckeyes in kills in their 3-1 week that included a win over No. 20 Miami
- Londot had 16 kills, a season-high 13 digs and tied her career-high with five aces vs. Miami. In the match, Londot had seven kills in the opening set and back-to-back aces to win the set and later recorded the match-deciding kill
- In a 3-2 win over Buffalo, Londot had a season-high 29 kills, tied her career-high seven blocks and added 11 digs
- With her effort, Londot moved up to second in Ohio State history in career kills (1,864), third in points (2,113), ninth in block assists (328) and 18th in digs (1,030)
- Londot leads the Big Ten with 4.56 kills/set which is 11th in the nation
- Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Emily Londot (Aug. 28, 2023)
Defensive Player of the Week
Raven Colvin, Purdue
Sr. – MB – Indianapolis, Ind. – Major: Accounting
- Posted 13 total blocks and average 1.57 per set in Purdue’s 2-0 week (vs. Houston, vs. #10 Kentucky)
- Recorded seven blocks vs. No. 10 Kentucky along with a season-best five digs
- Recorded just two attack errors on the weekend, combining for 14 kills to hit for .571 (14-2-21) to go along with her defensive effort
- Named to SMU Doubletree All-Tournament Team
- Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Lourdes Myers (Nov. 13, 2023)
Setter of the Week
Bergen Reilly, Nebraska
So. – Sioux, Falls, S.D. – Major: Business and Law
- Averaged 12.18 assists per set and led the Huskers to a .315 hitting percentage on the week with wins over No. 9 Creighton, No. 14 Arizona State and Wichita State
- Had a career-high 58 assists with 13 digs in a 3-2 win over Creighton
- Posted three double-doubles and combined for 38 digs, averaging 3.45/set
- Last Nebraska Setter of the Week: Bergen Reilly (Sept. 2, 2024)
Freshman of the Week
Julia Hunt, Washington
MB – Covington, Ky. – Major: Undeclared
- Had consecutive career-highs in first two home matches, first recording 10 kills vs. Washington State, then upping that career-best to 16 kills against UC Davis, helping the Huskies to a 2-0 weekend and their best start (7-0) since 2016
- 16 kills were the most by a Washington middle since Marin Grote in 2022
- Combined for 26 kills, averaging 3.25 per set to hit for .391 across the weekend
- Also added nine blocks, averaging 1.12 blocks/set
Maryland, Washington, and Ohio State Score Weekly Men’s Soccer Awards
Offensive Player of the Week
Max Rogers, Maryland
Grad. – F – Sydney, Australia – St. Ignatius College – Major: Finance
- Assisted on all three goals in the Terps’ 3-0 win over then-No. 8 Wisconsin
- Garners his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
- Last Maryland Offensive Player of the Week: Luke Van Heukelum (Oct. 17, 2023)
Defensive Player of the Week
Chris Meyers, Washington
Sr. – D – Sacramento, Calif. – Jesuit – Major: Sociology
- Tallied a pair of assists in Washington’s 1-1-1 week
- Notched helpers in a win over then-No. 9 Seattle and a draw at then-No. 22 Michigan
- Earns his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Week award
- Last Washington Defensive Player of the Week award: Chris Meyers (Sept. 10, 2024)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Max Trejo, Ohio State
R-Jr. – Mexico City, Mexico – Shawnee Mission East (Kan.) – Major: Sports Industry
- Recorded a save in the Buckeyes’ 1-0 win over Butler
- Faced eight shots in securing his sixth career clean sheet
- Earns his first Goalkeeper of the Week award
Freshman of the Week
Nick Skubis, Ohio State
Fr. – M – Tampa, Fla. – Berkeley Prep – Major: Finance
- Scored the lone goal in Ohio State’s 1-0 win over Butler
- Played just 45 minutes, recording three shots including the 73rd minute game-winner
- Earns his second consecutive Freshman of the Week award
- Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Nick Skubis (Sept. 10, 2024)
Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State Garner Weekly Awards
Offensive Player of the Week
Kate McLaughlin, Michigan
Gr. – F – Winnetka, Ill. – New Trier Township
- Amassed a Big Ten-best 11 points last week with four goals and three assists in Michigan’s sweep of Ohio and Central Michigan in Ann Arbor
- Averaged a point every 5-plus minutes she was on the field as the Wolverines outscored their opponents 17-0
- Extended goal-scoring streak to five games and leads the squad with nine goals on the year
- Collects her second Big Ten weekly award in as many weeks
- Last Michigan Offensive Player of the Week: Kate McLaughlin (Sept. 9, 2024)
Defensive Player of the Week
Abby Danson, Ohio State
Sr. – G – Clifton Park, N.Y. – Shenendehowa Central
- Compiled a 0.50 goals-against average and .833 save percentage in leading Ohio State to road wins over Richmond and No. 18 Old Dominion
- Allowed one goal in 120 minutes of action and became OSU’s career shutout leader (16)
- Extended shutout streak to 248 minutes, a span covering 16 quarters
- Receives her third career Big Ten weekly award
- Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Abby Danson (Sept. 3, 2024)
Freshman of the Week
Aby Deverka, Penn State
Fr. – G – Houston, Texas – The Kinkaid School
- Backstopped Penn State to a 3-2 win over 15th-ranked Princeton on Sept. 15
- Finished with seven saves against the Tigers, including four in the second half to hold the visitors scoreless over the final 30 minutes
- The Nittany Lion rookie has started five of six games in the cage this season
- Earns her second Freshman of the Week accolade of the season
- Last Penn State Big Ten Freshman Winner: Aby Deverka (Sept. 3, 2024)
Music, Sports, News and more
All in one place on the SiriusXM app
